1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to systems and methods for upgrading resources in a database management system. Specifically, the invention relates to systems and methods for identifying a unit of change requiring upgrade as a result of interdependencies between resources in a hierarchical database management system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Resources in a database management system require periodic upgrades to optimize system infrastructure to stay current with improving technologies and changing system requirements. Interrelationships between resources in a database management system complicate upgrades, however, as all resources that require access to a changed or upgraded resource must also be upgraded to be consistent with the changed resource.
Traditionally, implementing resource upgrades in a database management system has required a user to independently identify resource interrelationships and manually group into a unit of change those resources affected by association with a resource requiring upgrade. All resources specified in the unit of change may be upgraded substantially simultaneously to avoid conflicts otherwise resulting from incompatible resource structures.
Historically, this system for implementing resource upgrades has proven inefficient as both time and labor intensive, and often ineffective due to its inherent propensity for error. Indeed, large numbers of system resources and complex interrelationships therebetween render such a system vulnerable to misidentification and/or failed identification of affected resources required for inclusion in the unit of change. Errors in completely or accurately identifying affected resources in the unit of change may result in inconsistencies between system resources that impair the effectiveness of the upgrade, as well as mandate additional time and labor to remedy the problem.
From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for a system and method to automatically identify a unit of change requiring upgrade in a database management system due to interrelationships between resources in the system. Beneficially, such a system and method would promote upgrade process efficiencies and decrease an incidence of misidentification and/or failed identification of affected resources included in a unit of change. Such a system and method are disclosed and claimed herein.